Rights of Minorities and Prevention of Ethnic Conflicts According to ‎SRMI: Some Lessons for Multiethnic States

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran‎

2 Department of Public International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran‎

Abstract

In its quest to maintain international peace and security, international law grapples with numerous obstacles. Among other things, ethnic conflicts (ECs) as violent conflicts between majority and minority groups, are considered to be a huge obstacle. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and through desk research, this paper seeks to investigate the role of minority rights in the outbreak and prevention of ECs relying on the views of the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues (SRMI). According to the findings of the paper, insufficient attention paid to minority rights in contemporary international law has led to the ability of this branch of law to eliminate one of the root causes of ECs outbreak. However, human rights monitoring mechanisms and specifically, the more related mechanisms regarding minority rights such as SRMI can provide minority issues with more attention by increasing the significance of minority groups’ rights status at national, regional and international levels. Enhancing minority groups’ participation in national and local affairs and creating tie with the whole territory of the multi-ethnic country, therefore, results in reducing the probability of ethnocentric movements and ethnic mobilization and, as a consequence, increase of the possibility to prevent ECs in multiethnic States.

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References

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 June 2025

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